Reconstructing Ecofeminism: Using Gender Symbols As Academic Tools, Rather Than Restrictive Identities To Better Understand And Address The Environmental Crisis

Abstract

Ecofeminism has recently emerged as an environmental ethic that integrates gender inequality and many forms of social injustice including environmental degradation. The implications of eco feminists’ broad attempt at integrating so many issues are the emotional and psychological response to defining warring entities as a particular gender. The following thesis attempts to denounce the negative implications of using gender identities to define the environmental crisis. The thesis offers a review of environmental ethics, as well as the current use of gender identity as an explanation for degradation. By evaluating gender as a socialized identity, this paper argues that gender symbols can be used as purely academic tools to further discussion of that nature. This suggests that the gender equilibrium may provide resolution in environmental discussion as long as gender is discussed as a socially taught identity and not restrictive to any sex or ideology.